Bok Choy with Bacon

I never had bok choy until I moved to China. I would always see it in grocery stores, but never knew what to do with it. Do you eat it raw in a salad? Soups? Steamed? 

In China, most of the time it's served hot and wilted, usually cooked by a quick fry. The first time I had it in a restaurant here, I was immediately in love, and every time it's served on one of our trips, I scoop a big pile onto my plate. Since bok choy is so abundant here (and super cheap!) I decided I wanted to try cooking some at home. As you can imagine, we eat a lot of Chinese food, so Chris hasn't been in the mood for Chinese when we have another choice. Well, today Chris and Eloy went to play soccer with some people from our orchestra, so I had the afternoon to myself and decided I would make what I wanted: bok choy with bacon. 

I bought the bok choy weeks ago, and it kept amazingly well. When I first saw this recipe, I immediately added it to my list, because anything that has bacon in it has got to be a winner. Bacon is magical, period. I made this as a side to some rice with green onions and steamed dumplings. Of course it was amazing. Such a simple side dish with lots of flavor, and a little kick of spice. I think I made this awesome lunch from start to finish in about 20 minutes (and I'm not the fastest chopper..gotta take care of the flutie fingers!) If you're new to bok choy, or are searching for ways to cook bok choy (hi Katie!), give this quick and simple recipe a go. You'll really love it!

Bok Choy with Bacon

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped

2 pounds baby bok choy, with ends cut off

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 a small red onion, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt to taste

Directions

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy (or medium low heat, depending on your stove). Remove bacon, reserving one tablespoon grease in the skillet. Add the olive oil, onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the onions start to become tender.

Add the bok choy, toss, and place a lid on the pan. Let cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove the lid; cook and stir until the bok choy is tender but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bacon, and season with salt. Serve piping hot!

Recipe Source: adapted from AllRecipes.com

Mujaddara-Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions

I love a recipe where three simple ingredients can turn into something special and delicious. In Mujaddara, caramelized onions give life to the rice and lentils. Up until this dish, I think I've only had lentils in soups, so I'm slowly learning how to incorporate this ultra healthy legume into my diet. The original recipe called for brown rice, which would be a little healthier, but I only had white rice, so I adjusted the recipe accordingly. If you would prefer brown rice, add it to the pan with the lentils. I found this recipe at one of my new favorite blogs: Elly Says Opa. Elly says that you could serve this as a vegetarian main dish, or as a side. We at it for lunch one day, but I think I would prefer it as a side to perhaps chicken or pork, with some veggies or a salad.

Mujaddara

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, cut in half and then into slices

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over

1/2 cup white rice

2 1/2 cups stock (I used veggie) or water or a combo*

Directions

Heat a deep saute pan or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the onions. Cook for two or three minutes over medium heat and then reduce to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a dark golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the lentils and bay leaf and saute for a minute before adding the liquid. Increase heat to bring to a boil, and then cover for 30 minutes. Add rice and 1/3 cup broth and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until rice and lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*Add more liquid as you are cooking the mujaddara, if necessary. I ended up adding about 1/3 of a cup more stock when I added the rice, but this amount may vary depending on your stove.

Recipe Source: adapted from Elly Says Opa